Sigma Delta Tau () is an American

sorority Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...

and member of the

National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an umbrella organization for 26 (inter)national women's sororities throughout the United States and Canada. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alum ...

. Sigma Delta Tau was founded on March 25, 1917 at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

by Jewish women. However, there is no religious requirement for membership to the sorority, and it prides itself on being inclusive of all, as well as being historically Jewish. The main archive URL i
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
Sigma Delta Tau has over 70,000 initiates from 105 chapters around the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

History

Sigma Delta Tau was founded on March 25, 1917 at

by seven Jewish women: Dora Bloom Turteltaub, Amy Apfel Tishman, Marian Gerber Greenberg, Grace Srenco Grossman, Inez Dane Ross, Regene Freund Cohane and Lenore Rubinow. The original name, Sigma Delta Phi, was changed after the women discovered a sorority with the same name already existed.

Symbols

The sorority's official flower is the golden tea rose and its jewel is

lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli (; ), or lapis for short, is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. As early as the 7th millennium BC, lapis lazuli was mined in the Sar-i Sang mine ...

. The colors of Sigma Delta Tau are cafe au lait and old blue. The sorority's symbol is the torch, which is also the name of its national publication. The current badge is a jeweled gold torch. On the front of the torch are the Greek letters ΣΔΤ, with six pearls and a diamond. The badge is worn as an emblem of membership by initiated members. Uninitiated members wear a different badge, a gold torch enameled in old blue.

Philanthropy

The current national philanthropies of Sigma Delta Tau are Prevent Child Abuse America, the Sigma Delta Tau Foundation, and

Jewish Women International Jewish Women International (JWI) is a Jewish-American social service organization founded in 1897 by American Jewish women associated with B'nai B'rith, an international Jewish social service organization. The organization's mission is described as ...

. Prevent Child Abuse America was selected as Sigma Delta Tau's National Philanthropy in 1982. Each Sigma Delta Tau chapter conducts an annual service project, educational program or major fund raiser for the benefit of Prevent Child Abuse America. Since 1982, Sigma Delta Tau has donated more than $3 million to PCAA. The Sigma Delta Tau Foundation was chosen as an official philanthropic partner in 2017.

Chapters

Sigma Delta Tau currently has a total of 64 active collegiate chapters across North America.

Membership

The national president of Sigma Delta Tau is voted on by the chapters and National Council Members every two years.

Notable alumnae

Joyce Brothers Joyce Diane Brothers (October 20, 1927 – May 13, 2013) was an American psychologist, television personality, advice columnist, and writer. She first became famous in 1955 for winning the top prize on the American game show '' The $64,000 Ques ...

(''Alpha chapter'',

) – psychologist, television and radio personality, writer *

Arielle Charnas Arielle Noa Charnas (born June 13, 1987) (nee Nachmani) is an American fashion blogger and influencer. She is known for a series of controversies during the COVID-19 pandemic and for the subsequent backlash from brand partners of her blog and In ...

(''Omega chapter'',

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

) – influencer and creative director of SomethingNavy * Meredith Deane (''Alpha Xi chapter'',

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original cam ...

; ''Mu chapter'',

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

) – actress *

Heather Dubrow Heather Paige Dubrow (née Kent; born January 5, 1969) is an American actress and television personality. Heather portrayed Lydia DeLucca in the television series '' That's Life'' in 2000 and starred on the reality television series ''The Real H ...

(''Omega chapter'',

) – actress and cast member of ''

The Real Housewives of Orange County ''The Real Housewives of Orange County'' (abbreviated ''RHOC'') is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on March 21, 2006. It has aired sixteen seasons and focuses on the personal and professional lives of several wom ...

'' *

Sherry Lansing Sherry Lansing (born Sherry Lee Duhl; July 31, 1944) is an American philanthropist and retired film studio executive. She is a former CEO of Paramount Pictures and president of production at 20th Century Fox. In 1996, she became the first woman ...

(''Sigma chapter'',

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

) – actress, CEO of

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

, president of production at

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

Christy Carlson Romano Christy Carlson Romano (born March 20, 1984) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing Ren Stevens on ''Even Stevens'' and voicing the titular character from '' Kim Possible'', both of which aired on the Disney Channel. Earl ...

– (''Gamma Tau chapter'',

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

Barnard College Barnard College of Columbia University is a private women's liberal arts college in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a group of women led by young student activist Annie Nathan Meyer, who petitioned Columbia ...

) – Broadway and television actress * Flo Steinberg (''Psi chapter'',

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, ...

) – publisher with Big Apple Comix *

Remy Zaken Remy Zaken (born May 9, 1989) is an American stage and television actress best known for being one of the youngest cast members in the Original Broadway production of '' Spring Awakening'' at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, playing the role of Thea. ...

(''Gamma Tau chapter'',

) –

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

actress * Bari Lurie (''Alpha Tau chapter'',

George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presi ...

) – non-profit executive *

Carol Saline Carol Saline is a journalist, broadcaster, author and public speaker. Career She has written eight books. They include ''Dr. Snow: How the FBI Nailed an Ivy League Coke King,'' ''Straight Talk: How to Get Closer to Others by Saying What You Rea ...

(''Omega chapter'',

) – journalist, broadcaster, and award-winning author

References

{{Fraternities and Sororities , collapsed 1917 establishments in New York (state) Cornell University National Panhellenic Conference Student societies in the United States Student organizations established in 1917 Historically Jewish sororities in the United States Jewish organizations established in 1917 Fraternities and sororities based in Indianapolis

History

Symbols

Philanthropy

Chapters

Membership

Notable alumnae

See also

References